We change lives and improve the wellness of our community by telling our stories.

Founded as an off-shoot of Artists Repertory Theatre’s education outreach program, WELLARTS has been helping ordinary people to share their extraordinary stories through their ‘writing-for-theater’ workshops since 2000. The concept is simple – participants learn to write down their stories and actors bring them to life for audiences. In addition to programs for vets and people living with physical or mental illness, WellArts sponsors a VOICES OF OUR ELDERS program to unearth and dramatize the personal tales of our seniors.

CoHo’s season opener THE OUTGOING TIDE tells the poignant yet funny story of a family dealing with suspected Alzheimer’s, the specter of assisted living and issues of personal choice. In a special talk-back following the matinee performance on Sunday, October 20th, WellArts actors will interact with our audience members to elicit our own stories and create a new mini-performance on the spot!

Plan to be part of the audience on Sunday, October 20th for what promises to be a very unique event!

Licking Batteries
A World Premiere Production from Playwrights West’s Ellen Margolis

PRESS RELEASE ● PRESS RELEASE ● PRESS RELEASE

Playwrights West in association with CoHo Productions proudly presents Licking Batteries, a world premiere play by Drammy award-winning playwright Ellen Margolis.

When Lucy’s mother undergoes a treatment that renders her unrecognizable, Lucy begins a quest to understand the intimate impact of electricity. The key players: exposed wiring, the secret lives of household objects, and whatever grown-ups do behind closed doors…. Growing into young adulthood, Lucy gains know-how and determination, but risks letting love and life slip away. Her mother Louise, meanwhile, grasps at connections to begin making her way home. Through alternating currents of comedy and drama, realism and fantasy, Licking Batteries confronts the nature of complex grief and the irresistible urge to stand in a thunderstorm.

The Chair of Theatre & Dance at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, Ellen Margolis has had plays produced throughout the United States, including in Portland, New York, and St. Paul, Minnesota. Her work has been published by Playscripts, Inc. and Smith & Kraus.

Ryan Reilly, whose work often has been seen in New York and Chicago, directs Licking Batteries. The cast includes: Alex Kirby, David Knell, Summer Olsson, Rachel Rosenfeld, and Rebecca Toland. Designers include: set design by Tal Sanders, light design by J.D. Sandifer, and sound design by Em Gustason.

Licking Batteries opens August 9, 2013, and runs through August 31 at CoHo Productions (2257 NW Raleigh St, Portland, Oregon). It plays 7:30 PM on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday tickets are $25, or $20 for students, educators, and distinguished citizens (age 60+). Thursday performances are Pay-What-You-Will. Post-show discussions will be held on the following Saturday evenings: August 10, 17, and 24. The performance will run 90 minutes without an intermission.

THE SECRET LIVES OF TEENAGE GIRLSCrooked by Catherine Trieschmann captures the angst and delight of adolescence and a
multi-dimensional mother-daughter relationship in this funny and heart-wrenching story

March 4th, 2013 – PORTLAND, OR.
In Crooked, life sucks for fourteen year old Laney who, besides dealing with typical teenage angst is afflicted by a muscle disorder called dystonia, which causes her posture to angle to one side as her back muscles fight with themselves even while at rest. Her mother Elise is recently divorced, in crisis, and has moved herself and her daughter to Oxford, Mississippi where the question “Have you found a church?” is considered polite conversation. Laney has a burning desire to be a writer and she uses her active imagination to write vividly violent short stories. When she befriends Maribel, the open-hearted daughter of an evangelical preacher, Laney uses her penchant for fiction to reinvent herself with actions as rebellious as they are cries for acceptance. This sensitive story of sexual and spiritual awakening follows Laney as she battles her inner demons in her quest to be loved.

A distinctive new voice in American Theatre, Treischmann’s work is quickly becoming known for its smart, humorous dialogue and intriguing female characters set against the backdrop of the Deep South. In Crooked, she creates three full and diverse roles for women exploring themes of spirituality, sexuality, alienation and identity.

“I think Portland needs to see more theatrical stories with a female perspective. Catherine’s play is about the aspirations of women and I am ecstatic to spend several months living with it.”
director Philip Cuomo, fresh off the critical and popular success of A Noble Failure by Susan Mach.

CoHo’s offering features a well-crafted story centered on the multi-dimensional needs and desires of women of different ages. This female-driven story is presented in a time when cries for increased opportunities for female artists are growing louder. However, this play’s characters, events and language succeed in providing insight into larger social and spiritual issues recognizable to all audiences regardless of gender: issues of family, friendship, grief, and finding a place to belong.

Recieving its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Crooked is the first professionally produced play by Trieschmann in Portland and it has garnered international acclaim:

“Trieschmann shows a precise understanding of the female heart…A play of immense psychological shrewdness.” – The Guardian

Director and co-producer Philip Cuomo is the Executive Director of Portland Actors Conservatory (PAC) overseeing a nationally accredited institution. He is an award winning director, theatre teacher and actor and was last month appointed the newest member of CoHo Productions’ Board of Directors. Maureen Porter, co-producer and playing the role of Elise, is an award winning actor, gracing all of the major Portland stages and is one of our city’s most decorated and respected performers. Kayla Lian won over ArtistsRep’s audiences in And So it Goes… and she will melt your heart as Laney. Meghan Chambers plays Laney’s love interest, Maribel, and has recently completed the Portland Playhouse Acting Apprenticeship program.

Show times are 7:30pm Thursday through Saturday, with 2pm matinees on Sundays. Talkbacks with the director and cast will follow the performances on May 19th and 26th and June 2nd. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cohoproductions.org or by phone at 503.220.2646. CoHo Theatre is located at 2257 NW Raleigh Street.

February 18, 2013 – PORTLAND, ORE. Last Thursday evening, the CoHo Board of Directors conducted a meeting of reorganization, renewal and celebration as many long-standing board members retired from the board, two new members were welcomed into board service and the election of new officers was conducted.

Current board member Mary Blair was elected Board President and was joined by newly elected members Don Blair as Secretary/Treasurer and Philip Cuomoas Member-At-Large. The current Artistic Council, comprised of Mead Hunter, Karin Magaldi, Chris Murray, Liane Hilling-Shah, Laura Faye Smith and Stephen Weeks, remains unchanged.

Mary Blair has been a CoHo board member since 2011 and is a three-year member of the JAW Reading Committee at Portland Center Stage. As CFO of Nike, Inc., and a current board member at Portland Center Stage, Don Blair brings extensive business and financial experience to the Board. Finally, Philip Cuomo has been a member of the Portland theater community since 2003. He is an actor, an award winning director, a core company member of Third Rail Repertory Theater and the current Executive Director of Portland Actors Conservatory.

The retiring board members include President Scott Stephens, CoHo Co-Founder Robert Holden, Secretary Ruth Fredine, Treasurer Lee Kurtz and Leslie Houston. “We are so grateful for the guidance, hard work, and countless hours of time and resources dedicated to CoHo by Scott, Robert, Ruth, Lee and Leslie. They’ve all served s a vital resource to artists who strive to produce projects they are deeply passionate about and will be missed,” said Artistic Council Member Laura Faye Smith.

“As a co-founder of the company, Robert Holden’s contributions to CoHo have been immeasurable,” said new Board President Mary Blair. Holden directed CoHo’s very first production, Bodyhold, in 1995 at the Benson Hotel and was the co-producer/director for one of the company’s most successful shows, William S. Gregory’s Mary Tudor. He was also instrumental in developing the acclaimed CoHo Theater, now in its 12th year. “It is fitting that as Robert leaves the board, he is returning to the director’s chair

where he began with the Company,” said Blair. Robert Holden is directing the upcoming production of Bill W. and Dr. Bob.

“Leslie Houston, Ruth Fredine, Lee Kurtz and most notably Scott Stephens, must also be saluted for their invaluable service to CoHo,” continued Blair. “Many in the community are well aware of the tremendous work all of these individuals have devoted to CoHo over the years, especially in this last season as we have operated without a Managing Director and all aspects of CoHo’s operations fell to this truly “working board”. The fact that CoHo still exists today is a credit to their tenacity and a reflection of the real passion each holds for CoHo. The Portland theater community is only richer for their gift of time and talent.”

“As a new board, we are very optimistic about the continued success of CoHo. We have just signed a new lease on our theater and our near term priority is to build the financial and operational health of the Company while maintaining a strong commitment to CoHo’s artistic mission,” said Blair. Artistic Council Member Smith adds, “We are incredibly enthusiastic and energized about what the future will hold with Mary, Don and Philip on the Board. Their combined professionalism, intelligence, experience and passion bode well for CoHo’s ability to attract and support the best our artistic community has to offer.”

CoHo’s Productions’ mission is to produce high quality and affordable theater in Portland in an intimate setting under a unique collaborative model known as co-production. CoHo invites local theater artists to propose plays for production to an Artistic Council, consisting of established Portland theater artists of all disciplines, who select three shows per season. CoHo provides the venue, funding and marketing support for the show, thereby freeing its co-producers to focus on the artistic and technical aspects in which they excel.

LAUGH UNTIL YOU CRY WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
International Falls
at CoHo Productions

Photo by Gary Norman

December 9, 2012 – PORTLAND, ORE. Write down everything and something is bound to be funny. Or at least that’s standup comedian Tim’s philosophy in International Falls by Thomas Ward. CoHo Productions, as part of the Fertile Ground Festival, will produce the World Premiere. A pay-what-you-will preview performance will be held on January 24th, with opening night on January 25th. The hilarious new show will run Thursday through Sunday through February 16th. Tickets start at $20 with discounts available for students, educators and seniors. Those with a valid International Falls, MN driver’s license will receive free admission (pending availability).
In the depths of winter, Tim and Dee find themselves together in a small motel room after Tim’s side-splitting
stand-up comedy performance. A philosophical discussion of comic theory, marriage, parenthood, and a few bodily function jokes blurs the line between comedy and tragedy as both are forced to ask, “Now what?” Playwright Thomas Ward (a Professor at Baylor University and former stand-up comic) has carefully crafted the beginning of one journey and the end of another as the pair grapple with each other and their lives. Show times are 7:30pm Thursday through Saturday, with 2pm matinees on Sundays. Talkbacks with the director and cast will follow the performances on February 2, 3 and 9. A panel discussion with area stand-up comics moderated by Isaac Lamb will follow the Sunday, February 10 matinee performance. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cohoproductions.org or by phone at 503.220.2646. CoHo Theatre is located at 2257 NW Raleigh Street.Brandon Woolley (Company Manager, Portland Center Stage) makes his Portland directorial debut and has cast an exceptional duo of Portland favorites to take on this dark comedy. Tim, a burned out standup comedian will be played by Portland’s own comedic actor, IssacLamb (pictured above) of Third Rail Repertory Theatre. Laura Faye Smith (The Receptionist, Spinning into Butter) returns to CoHo as Dee, the disenchanted motel clerk.
The small Minnesota motel comes to life through Scenic Designer Cameron McFee (Animalsand Plants, Body Awareness). Jennifer Lin (Lime Tree Bower) and Em Gusterson set the scene as Lighting Designer and Sound Designer respectively. The production team is deftly rounded out with Amber Peoples as Stage Manager.
CoHo Productions continues its 17th Season: It’s about Identity, still utilizing the unique coproduction model that has sustained its efforts to support the artistic community. CoHo provides the funding, venue and complete administrative support, allowing our co-producers to focus on creating the artistic vision. This combination has produced 23 Drammy awards and 10 world premieres, despite the completely unpredictable nature of each season. Located on the edge of the vibrant NW District and in the midst of the 10-year Conway redevelopment project, CoHo Theatre is an intimate 99-seat black box theatre residing in a former book bindery.

Due to current economic instabilities and amidst our own ongoing company reorganization, the Board of Directors has released a statement regarding the production of Mars on Life which can be read in its entirety below.

“Dear CoHo Supporter,

We are deeply sorry to announce that our scheduled holiday show, Mars On Life: Holiday Survival Guide, has been cancelled. All current ticket holders are being contacted and their monies will be refunded.

Although we just completed a successful run of Annie Baker’s Body Awareness and some local businesses/individuals have been extremely generous in helping us to improve the theater, our finances have become very challenged. As a result, we have returned to a completely volunteer organization and came to the realization that we could not afford to fund the Mars On Life production.

We are especially sorry for the impact that this difficult decision has had on Susannah Mars and all the creative staff affiliated with the show. The fact that CoHo needed to cancel the production in no way reflects on the talent, professionalism and commitment of these individuals. We are humbled with how gracious they all have been in accepting this disappointing turn of events.

The CoHo theater is now dark for December and early January but we feel confident that our winter show, International Falls by Thomas Ward will go forward as scheduled and open on January 25th.

Once again, we sincerely apologize to all for the cancellation of our holiday production and ask for your continued support of CoHo as we battle these tough economic times.

About CoHo Productions
CoHo Productions continues its 17th season, still utilizing the unique co-production model that has sustained it. CoHo provides the funding, the theater, the marketing and promotion, the administrative support, the ticketing, and front-of-house support. Its co-producers provide the production team – cast and crew – that put together the show. The combination has produced 23 Drammy awards and 10 world premieres, despite the completely unpredictable nature of each season.

About International Falls
Tim, a burned out standup comedian has a gig at a motel in International Falls, Minnesota. Aspiring comedian and motel desk clerk, Dee, ends up in Tim’s room one night after his performance. The night turns into a philosophical discussion of comic theory, marriage, parenthood and religion. The line between comedy and tragedy is blurred as both characters are forced to ask , “Now what?” The Dallas Morning News wrote of the workshop production, “International Falls is so much fun to watch and so painful when it wraps itself up,” and D Magazine called it “blazing good.” CoHo is proud to present International Falls as part of Fertile Ground, Portland’s city-wide festival of new works. Purchase Fertile Ground passes through this link, and tell them we sent you! When you do, CoHo will receive credit for your purchase.